During an interview with Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV, Trump also mentioned that he is inclined to reveal his running mate at the Republican convention, which is scheduled for late July.
Former President Donald Trump stated that he has “no issue” with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sharing the stage with him and President Joe Biden during the June and September presidential debates if Kennedy meets the qualifying criteria.
“I would have no problem if he met whatever the threshold is. But he’s very low and he seems to be heading in the other direction, in the wrong direction,” Trump conveyed in an interview with Charles Benson, the chief political reporter for WTMJ-TV Milwaukee. “I would have no problem with it though. If he qualified, I would have no problem.”
Following months of speculation about whether Trump and Biden would engage in debates, both campaigns confirmed Wednesday that they would participate in two debates, scheduled for June 27 and Sept. 10.
Shortly after the debates were confirmed, RFK Jr. accused Trump and Biden of “colluding” to prevent him from appearing on stage.
“They are trying to exclude me from their debate because they are afraid I would win,” Kennedy wrote in a post on X.
Trump also informed the Milwaukee NBC affiliate that he would probably announce his vice presidential selection in the city this summer, referring to the Republican National Convention scheduled to take place there on July 15-18.
“That’s probably a pretty good chance, I would say. I don’t say anything’s 100%, but you’re getting pretty close,” Trump said. “I’ll be doing it in Milwaukee.”
This marks the clearest timeline Trump has provided regarding his vice presidential pick. Meanwhile, potential contenders have been fundraising with Trump and speaking on his behalf outside the New York courthouse where his criminal hush money trial is being held.
Trump, who has consistently claimed that Kennedy’s candidacy will harm Biden’s chances more than his own, has intensified his criticism of the independent candidate. In a recent video posted on Truth Social, Trump referred to Kennedy as a “Democrat plant” and a “radical left liberal.”
“He is not a Republican so don’t think you’re going to vote for him and feel good,” Trump emphasized in the post.
Various polls have indicated Kennedy drawing support from both candidates’ camps. A recent national NBC News poll showed Kennedy gaining more support from voters who previously favored Trump in a head-to-head matchup with Biden.
